Wells Score PE Calculator

Wells Score PE Calculator for Hematology. The displayed number and category use the same unrounded score. A probability category cannot replace imaging, appropriate D-dimer testing or clinical assessment.

For shared guidance on choosing a tool and documenting results, read the clinical calculator workflow.

How this calculator works

The standard PE items contribute 3, 3, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 1 and 1 points. The alternative-diagnosis criterion requires PE to be more likely, not equally likely. The immobilization item is more than 3 days, or surgery within 4 weeks. Two-level classification is likely above 4, unlikely at or below 4.

When to use this calculator

Pretest-probability assessment in adults with suspected PE, coupled to an appropriate local diagnostic pathway.

Inputs used

  • Clinical DVT findings: leg swelling with tenderness along deep veins
  • PE is more likely than the alternative diagnosis
  • Heart rate above 100 beats/min
  • Immobilization for more than 3 days, or surgery within 4 weeks
  • Previous DVT or PE
  • Hemoptysis
  • Cancer: treatment now or within 6 months, or palliative disease

Clinical interpretation

The displayed number and category use the same unrounded score. A probability category cannot replace imaging, appropriate D-dimer testing or clinical assessment.

Worked example

Tachycardia alone gives 1.5, displayed as 1.5 rather than rounded to 2. A total of 4 is unlikely; 4.5 is likely.

Limitations and safety notes

No universal CTPA order, anticoagulation prescription or pregnancy pathway is supplied. Each criterion requires clinical assessment; zero points cannot guarantee absence of PE.

Frequently asked questions

Is equally likely sufficient for the subjective PE item?

No. This item requires the alternative diagnosis to be less likely than PE; equality alone does not earn those three points.

What does this result leave unresolved?

No universal CTPA order, anticoagulation prescription or pregnancy pathway is supplied. Each criterion requires clinical assessment; zero points cannot guarantee absence of PE.

References

  • https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng158/chapter/Recommendations

Editorial review and citation methodology

Maintained by the Quick Medical Calculator Editorial Team. Content record date: September 9, 2026. A content date is not evidence of independent clinical review. Individual clinical sign-off is not recorded on this page.

  • Prefer original validation studies for scoring systems and prediction tools.
  • Use current specialty society guidance, transplant allocation policy, public health guidance, or regulator resources when they govern clinical use.
  • Include limitations and safety notes when a calculator is population-specific, context-dependent, or unsuitable as a standalone decision tool.

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